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‘Alarming’ bug splat decline on UK cars raises fears for flying insect numbers (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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The long-term decline in the number of flying insects being splattered on cars after a journey is well recognised by older drivers. But the latest survey has revealed that the number of insects found on vehicle number plates has plummeted by 63% since 2021.

An analysis of records from more than 25,000 journeys across Britain since 2021 reveals an alarming apparent drop in flying insect abundance, although the rate of decrease slowed in 2024.

Bug splats on the numberplates of citizen scientists using the Bugs Matter app for the Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife survey declined 8% from 2023 to 2024, after sharper drops of 44% in 2023 and 28% in 2022.

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[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Windshield phenomenon

The windshield phenomenon (or windscreen phenomenon) is the observation that fewer dead insects accumulate on the windshields and front bumpers of people's cars since the early 2000s. It has been attributed to a global decrease of insect populations caused by human activity, e.g. use of pesticides.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windshield_phenomenon

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Would modern vehicle aerodynamics not be playing a part in all of this?

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 day ago

I would guess that's why counting bugs on the numberplate is mentioned, I think that's basically stayed the same for decades

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Apparently the Kent Wildlife Trust found the opposite to be true:

The research also found that modern cars, with a more aerodynamic body shape, killed more insects than boxier vintage cars.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Don’t tell the Cybertruck gang. They latch on to any W they can get at this point.